Due to the high consumption demand and great competition between industries, modification on cotton material for imparting wrinkle-resistant properties has been incessantly conducted over the past decade. More than 200 related patents have been registered to the method, process or apparatus for wrinkle-resistant finishing. Mechanisms include crosslinking, acetylation, polymer deposition, polymer network entrapping, film sheathing, and some other physical methods. Due to the effectiveness, the most common technique applied in industry is crosslinking via formaldehyde, although the release of formaldehyde and strength loss are the associated drawbacks.
Corrective measurements are thus associated to reduce the amount or prevent the release of formaldehyde. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,728,771, 5,705,475, 5,496,477, 5,352,372, 5,352,242, 5,310,418, 5,221,285, 4,975,209, 4,936,865, 4,900,324, 4,820,307, 4,773,911, 4,652,268, 4,623,356, 4,539,008, 4,488,878, 4,472,167, 4,472,165, 4,423,108, 4,336,023, 4,331,438, 4,295,846, 4,269,603, 4,269,602, and 4,127,382 are examples.
The application of natural proteinaceous material in the finishing system is revealed to minimize the hazard to the environment and the major application is modifying the fabric handle and the moisture absorbency of synthetic materials. CN1100172C, WO02059404, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,718,954, and 6,997,960 are examples. The effect on wrinkle-resistant finishing system was reportedly limited. The combination application of DMDHEU, urethane, and silk powder reduced tearing strength loss by about 8% and the level of formaldehyde released was reduced to 3-fold lower than the standard requirement. However, formaldehyde agent is still the key component in the finishing system for achieving a high level of wrinkle recover angle.
It is an object of the present system to overcome the disadvantages and problems in the prior art.